Rick Scott and Lindsey Graham for Mitt (Updated)

By Alexander Burns

04/10/12 02:54 PM EDT

Less than an hour after Rick Santorum dropped his campaign, the GOP rallying around Mitt Romney has already accelerated. Florida Gov. Rick Scott, the only statewide official in Florida still withholding an endorsement, just put out this statement:

There is no question that Rick Santorum ran a hard fought campaign. I commend his passion and his willingness to put the best interest of our party and nation first.

Mitt Romney will be our party's nominee and it is critical that all Republicans coalesce behind Governor Romney and focus on electing him as President so he can put the policies in place to create jobs, turn our economy around and get federal spending under control.

UPDATE: South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham also threw his support behind Romney this afternoon, releasing this statement:

Rick Santorum has run an amazing campaign which exceeded all expectations. He should be very proud of all he and his supporters have accomplished. Rick has shown great passion for fiscal and social conservatism. Most importantly to me, he has also been the most consistent candidate on national security as he fully embraced Ronald Reagan's model of 'Peace through Strength.'

"Now is the time to get behind Mitt Romney as our presidential nominee so that every corner of the Republican Party is united. Our party must aggressively pursue the conservative Democrats and independents needed to ensure Barack Obama is a one-term president. America cannot afford another four years of Barack Obama.